This Definitive Guide has everything you need to know about
the CLT vs. ACT in 2025.

In this comprehensive guide we discuss:

▹Test Format

▹Reading Comprehension

▹English Grammar

▹Mathematics (and Science)

▹Taking the Test

▹Which is Harder: ACT or CLT?

▹Score Comparison Chart

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Intro to ACT vs. CLT

The ACT is a college entrance exam that measures reading comprehension, grammar skills, math skills, and problem-solving. It's designed to measure the skills that are necessary in college.

The CLT is also a college entrance exam that measures reading comprehension, grammar skills, and math skills, with an emphasis on rhetorical and critical thinking.

Both of these tests measure something called Academic Achievement - which measures how much material a student has learned in school.

Here's an example of Academic Achievement: a student learned trigonometry in school and answered a question about sine, cosine, and tangent correctly. His friend didn't learn trigonometry, and he answered incorrectly.

Why is that important? Because the ACT is primarily a measure of how far students made it in school.

In addition to Achievement, the CLT measures Aptitude - a student's ability to solve problems they have never seen before.

This means that students - even if they have limited access to standard high school education resources - could still do well on the CLT.

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Test Format

Until recently, the ACT was always conducted on paper. The Digital ACT is available, and more states are adopting it. However, you can still take the ACT on paper in most states.

The CLT is primarily Digital, but partner high schools can administer the test on paper if they choose to. If you’re taking the CLT from home, it will be administered online.

The ACT has four sections: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Including breaks, the ACT takes over 3 hours.

The CLT has three: Verbal Reasoning, Grammar / Writing, and Quantitative Reasoning. Including breaks, the CLT takes a little over 2 hours.

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Reading Comprehension

ACT vs. CLT

The Grammar tests are not as similar as the Reading Comprehension tests.

On the ACT, students have 45 minutes to complete 75 questions. On the CLT, students have 35 minutes to complete 40 questions. With nearly a minute per question on the CLT, students will notice the different pace of the exams.

Students will also notice the difference between the passages chosen. Again, on the CLT, passages are taken primarily from the list of authors we just mentioned – authors like Shakespeare, Martin Luther, and Jane Austen. And again, on the ACT, passages tend to be modern.

On the ACT, the majority of questions are about grammar – comma placement, semi-colons, subject-verb agreement, etc. There are some writing style questions on the ACT, but grammar is the primary focus.

On the CLT, half of the questions focus on grammar and half focus on writing style.For examples of Writing Style questions on the CLT, Read Here.

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English Grammar

ACT vs. CLT

The Grammar tests are not as similar as the Reading Comprehension tests.

On the ACT, students have 45 minutes to complete 75 questions. On the CLT, students have 35 minutes to complete 40 questions. With nearly a minute per question on the CLT, students will notice the different pace of the exams.

Students will also notice the difference between the passages chosen. Again, on the CLT, passages are taken primarily from the list of authors we just mentioned – authors like Shakespeare, Martin Luther, and Jane Austen. And again, on the ACT, passages tend to be modern.

On the ACT, the majority of questions are about grammar – comma placement, semi-colons, subject-verb agreement, etc. There are some writing style questions on the ACT, but grammar is the primary focus.

On the CLT, half of the questions focus on grammar and half focus on writing style.For examples of Writing Style questions on the CLT, Read Here.

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Math and Science

ACT vs. CLT

There is a huge difference between ACT Math and CLT Quantitative Reasoning.

First, the ACT Math section is 60 minutes long and has 60 questions. The CLT’s Quantitative Reasoning section is 45 minutes long and has 40 questions.

But the two main differences: Skills Measured and Question Types.

In other words, these tests both measure math skills, but have very little in common.

The ACT mathematics test covers all topics that students would be expected to know from courses through grade 11 in public school. This includes questions about probability and statistics, modeling, and complex numbers.

The CLT only tests the following topics: Algebra, Geometry, and Math Fundamentals (like properties of integers). Students aren’t tested on the entire list of topics that they would be expected to learn in public school – something the CLT believes makes it accessible to students of all educational backgrounds.

Something else that makes the CLT unique is Mathematical Reasoning: a Question Type that measures a student’s ability to draw conclusions from given information. It’s kind of like a logic game for high school students. For sample Mathematical Reasoning questions, Read Here.

The ACT has no equivalent for Mathematical Reasoning questions on its Math test. The closest thing to Mathematical Reasoning on the ACT is its Science section, where students are required to solve problems based on given information.

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Science

The ACT has a 35 minute, 40 question Science section.

The CLT doesn't have a Science section. Some questions on the Quantitative Reasoning will use language that is scientific, but nothing that could be considered a "science question."

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Taking the Test

ACT vs. CLT

As we mentioned earlier, the ACT is moving to Digital testing: students will take the test on a computer at their high school or at the testing center hosting their exams. However, students can still take the ACT on paper in most states.

The CLT is primarily digital: students take it on a computer from the comfort of their own home. The CLT records the exam and reviews it for Testing Security and Fairness (aka: making sure you don’t cheat). CLT Partner High Schools have the option to test on paper.

The ACT is about an hour longer than the CLT, with over 3 hours of testing and breaks. The CLT takes 2 hours to complete.

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How much do they cost?

$69 and $65.

For most test dates, you can take the CLT for free if you apply to the College that is sponsoring that test date!

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Which is Harder: ACT or CLT?

You don't want to hear this.

Neither test is harder than the other. Some students will be better at the ACT compared to the CLT, and some will be better at the CLT compared to the ACT.

For every CLT or ACT score, there’s a corresponding score on the other test.This means that a 70 on the CLT is roughly equivalent to a 21 on the ACT, and a 120 on the CLT (perfect score) is equivalent to a 36 on the ACT.

Some students will find the CLT to be a more enjoyable experience because of its shorter time frame. And many students who have taken the CLT say they like the content on the test, finding the test experience more fun.

However, some students will think the ACT is a better test for them. Maybe because they understand the Reading passages better or think it represents their skillset better.

Here’s the Point: neither test is harder than the other. But one of them may be better suited to your skillset than the other. We encourage you to try both and find out for yourself!

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